Page 4 -The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, April 9, 1991
Wbe £ician aily
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
ANDREW K. GOTTESMAN
Editor in Chief
STEPHEN HENDERSON
DANIEL POUX
Opinion Editors
Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board.
All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
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U neDrivers, pedestrians should heed lesson of jogger's death
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CAWS
In the past few days students have been more
careful crossing Ann Arbor's streets in the wake
of last week's tragic hit-and-run accident on State
Street.
First-year student Katherine Kruse was killed
last Thursday by a motorist while she was jogging
near the intersection of State and East Washington.
Police are still investigating the identity of the
driver and whether he or she ran a stoplight before
hitting Kruse and speeding away.
This tragedy highlights the dangers posed to
Ann Arbor's pedestrians every day. Because Ann
Arboris a densely concentrated college town, most
traffic hazards are aggravated when they are on or
near campus. Indeed, it is surprising that accidents
such as these do not happen more often.
Local drivers are frequently forced to stop as
students cross streets en masse between classes or
travel to libraries or computer centers late at night.
Likewise, pedestrians must trust that drivers pausing
at intersections or making turns through crosswalks
can see them as they walk across the street.
Loud car stereos as well as students' increased
use of bicycles and radio headphones in recent
years also divert attention from traffic safety and
make the situation even more dangerous.
Dozens of students are hit by cars every year on
on campus, but it is rare that anyone is killed.
Katherine Kruse's death is indeed a tragedy,
and the Daily extends its sympathies to her family
and friends. To avoid future misfortunes, last
Thursday's accident should serve as a reminder to
students and drivers to observe traffic and pedes-
tri an laws and to take precautions forthe possibility
of human error.
Hash Bash trash
Attendees'
hypocrisy and irresponsibility damage movement
H ash Bash '91 went fairly well, with the weather
cooperating and fewer arrests than in past
years. The beautiful day was spoiled, however, as
the crowd of 7,500 left the Diag littered with
cigarette butts, wrappers, cups, signs, and other
trash strewn over the center of campus. Both the
protest organizers and the thousands of attendees
must be criticized, for this Diag destruction only
bolsters the claims of reluctant University admin-
istrators each April.
Many of the Hemp Rally speakers stressed the
environmental benefits ofhemp and its byproducts,
and continually tried to link their efforts to the
international environmental movement. The con-
dition of the Diag at the end of the day said more
about their concerns for the environment; leaving
the Diag cleaner than they had found it would have
been a perfect way for the hemp activists to back up
their claims. Organizers should have provided
added trash receptacles - furnished by the Uni-
versity or brought in on their own - and encour-
.aged the thousands that turned out to pick up after
themselves.
The movement to legalize hemp already faces
significant societal opposition, primarily because
few people take these impassioned speakers scri-
ously. Such irresponsible actions only reinforce
the stereotypes that hemp rally organizers are
working to repudiate.
And those that turned out for the sun and fun
must also share the blame. The student pot-smokers
trying to be taken seriously did themselves a dis-
service, and everyone there - whether or not they
came to smoke pot-should have recognized their
personal responsibility to pick up after themselves.
University administrators have shown signifi-
cant reluctance in recent years in allowing the Diag
to be used each April for Hash Bash. These ad-
ministrators will point to Saturday's crowds, arrests,
and mess when the time comes to reserve the Diag
for next year. Other student groups should heed
Saturday's lesson, and make sure to clean up after
themselves, if they hope to be taken seriously by
the University administrators and the community
at large.
If the Hemp Legalization movement is to con-
tinue to gain grassroots support, organizers must
back up all of their claims with action. If not,
people will continue to laugh at them and their
cause, and the future of Hash Bash could go up in
smoke.
Editorial 'parades
gun-control hype'
To the Daily:
Your editorial concerning the
"Brady bill" (4-1-91) showed that
the Daily Opinion staff has little
knowledge of what gun control
laws really accomplish. Ronald
Reagan's support of the seven-day
waiting period on handguns
prompted you people to parade
more gun-control hype, despite gun
control's many pitfalls.
The editorial refers to the
4'
"commitment to the proper
regulation of handguns --and
hopefully other weapons - and to
the protection of American
citizens," as if banning handguns,
shotguns, and rifles would protect
Americans from harm. If these
weapons are banned, I will be more
scared for my safety, because I
know only criminals will retain
their guns. I feel more secure
having a small arsenal of weapons
in my home, and I am ready to
confront any burglar with my 12-
gauge. I consider that to be real
crime prevention, and my personal
safety as well.
The proposed "Brady bill"
would only create bureaucracy and
prevent legitimate self-defense. Is
that the "protection of American
citizens" the Daily mentioned?
Matthew Birchmeier
Engineering first-year student
Homeless need
more than soap
To the Daily:
I was very disturbed and
disappointed in the article I read
today ("Toiletry collection benefit~s
homeless,"4/4/91). While this is a
nice gesture, it's hardly a solution
to homelessness. People who
would like to help the homeless
would be better off trying to solve
the problems that cause
homelessness in the first place,
such as making sure that there is
housing that people can afford on
fixed incomes and part-time jobs.
The quotes from these people
were not only sad but hilarious,
such as "it's amazing how much a
simple bar of soap can do for
people's self-esteem." Their sclf-
esteem was not damaged by the
To the Daily:
I'd like the driver who didn't
stop last Thursday evening at the
corner of Washington and State to
know who he hit. You ended a
wonderful life.
Katie was a good friend of
mine. When I first met her, she was
the new girl in fifth grade, and full
of boundless energy. We soon
became close ... she could really
make me laugh. On Halloween,
we'd go trick-or-treating (making
sure to go to the best houses twice).
Later, we went to high school
football games, dances, and Prom.
But I was but one of her friends.
Everyone liked Katie ... it was
hard not to. She had an uncanny
ability to charm whomever she met.
What's more, my friend possessed
a certain warmth and compassion
that few, I think, ever will. These
qualities were reflected in all she
did, and hoped to do. You see, she
was studying to be a pediatrician,
and would have made a fine one.
Kate was a valedictorian of our
class, and a University honor
student. She had a meaningful and
fufilling life ahead of her.
The obituary back home will
probably read something like " ...
survived by her parents, sisters and
brother." But, as you can see, that
can't begin to explain Katie Kruse.
She was more than any of us will
ever realize.
At least now you know
something about Katie. A person
for whom you wouldn't even stop.
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To the hit-and-run driver...
Mary Chrenka
LSA first-year student
4
r
Iraqi revolution
United Nations must calljbr Hussein to stop the killing
A flower stands alone on Washington Street in memory of Katherine
Kruse, a student who was killed by a.motorist last Thursday night.
A
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p -.
A fter eight months of unprecedented carnage in
Kuwait and Iraq, allied leaders now insist that
a permanent cease-fire to the Gulf War is imminent.
But one need only look to Iraq to see the idiocy
inherent in such statements. While reconstruction
in Kuwait proceeds at a quickened pace, the devas-
tation of Iraq continues unabated - this time,
courtesy of Saddam Hussein.
The sheer magnitude of the allied assault de-
stabilized the entire Gulf region. The damage of
allied bombs extends beyond the destruction of
buildings and the loss of human lives; Iraqhas been
ripped apart along ethnic lines. Hussein's Baath
Party is frantically attempting to put down two
separate revolts: one by the Shiites in the south and
one by the Kurdish rebels in the north. With the
southern revolt under control, Hussein has con-
centrated his remaining attack helicopters and tanks
upon the ragged remnants of the Kurdish forces.
Vastly outnumbered by the loyalist forces of
Hussein, the Kurds are nearing capitulation.
Nonetheless, attacks by Iraqi loyalist troops have
intensified, leaving northem Iraq in a state of
anarchy.
Fearing retribution from the army forces, more
than a million displaced Kurds are fleeing north-
ward toward the Turkish border.
As the Iraqi forces continue their unrelenting
attacks, the importance of the United Nations in
restoring peace to the region increases.The Security
Council must be adamant in its attempts to prevent
human rights violations, and condemn Hussein's
continued slaughter with the same intensity that it
focused on his violations in Kuwait.
The United Nations must move beyond con-
demnation, however, and work with the Red Cross
and other international assistance agencies to
provide humanitarian aid to the Kurds - includ-
ingfood, shelter and medical supplies. Furthermore,
the United Nations should generously respond to
appeals from Turkey and Iran and provide both
nations with preliminary humanitarian aid for the
expected refugees. Neither country has the capa-
bility to absorb one of the largest exoduses of
modern history.
The United Nations cannot walk away from this
situation spewing bureaucratic procedural excuses.
U.N. actions and statements provided allied forces
with their initial excuse to commence military
action, and now the same body must make a
concerted effort to heal the wounds it has helped to
create. Humanitarian aid to the Kurds is a good
place to begin. '
lack of a bar of soap, but by not
having a dignified place to stay.
Sleeping in parks, under bridges,
abandoned buildings and the like
does nothing for your self-esteem
except make you feel ashamed and
somehow less important than other
people.
Another quote was, "When
you're worried about what you're
going to cat, buying deodorant
doesn't figure real high on your list
of priorities." I agree; when you're
fighting for your very existence,
you need cosmetics about as much
as a pet cockroach. Is this what I
should expect from the future
leaders of America?
David Noel
member,
Homeless Action Committee
Swain must stop stalling with MSS
by Delro Harris
From its beginnings in the
early 1970s, Minority Student
Services (MSS) has been an
incredible resource to student
organizations and individual
students looking for a place where
the employees could be looked at
not simply as administrators, but
as friends. Consisting of four
representatives (Afro-American,
Asian American, Latino and
Native American) and a secretary,
the office has managed to deal
with a large number of students
and programs over many years.
However, as the student
population and student usage of
the office increased, funding for
the office and staffing remained at
a standstill. With a small number
of people doing more and nore
work with no compensation, the
office began to run into serious
problems. With one person
responsible for representing an
entire race, there was a serious
lack of time available. Even when
a rep wanted to co-sponsor an
event, the office's minimal
funding made it hard to do so. In
102 ARmtw of thr- renc h n I-f
(MAC) for the revision of that
office, and was circulated to
people across the University. The
administrative support was
overwhelmingly positive.
However, the majority of
changes that were being proposed
could only be effected by a
director. Minority Student
Services, in its entire history, and
unlike other offices in the
University, had never actually had
Her plan for MSS was that it
didn't actually need a director.
Instead, a rep would serve as
representative for his or her
particular group and as director
for three years, when another rep
would take over for three years.
While not being paid as much as a
regular director would, this rep
would still be expected to do
twice as much work. Swain's plan
ignores the fact that no other
The Daily encourages responses from its readers. Letters should be 150
words or less and include the author's name, year in school, and phone
number. They can be mailed to The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard, Ann
Arbor, 48109, or they can be sent via MTS to "The Michigan Daily." The
Daily reserves the right to edit letters for style and space.
Either Mary Ann Swain work with students
to get a real director of Minority Student
Services, or stop making up excuses and
admit that she doesn't care.
a director. In fact, a director
would have made certain that the
office never deteriorated to the
point that it had.
In fall term 1990 a search
committee was formed to find the
first director. It was then that
Interim Vice President for Student
Services Mary Ann Swain -
roitncr hnnapt r ti nr i hn nnona i
office operates like that for a
reason - it doesn't work. This
management style undermines the
integrity of the office, the people
who work there and the people
who use it.
Swain has promised students
that she is genuinely concerned
about minority issues and
enncerns vet her actions tell us
Nuts and Bolts
S TOr x1 1 kE O L -.
by Judd Winick
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TI.EN L M4'FOUNDA MM 59
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